Palo Alto Weekly

Sports - July 19, 2013

Stanford football team has plenty of players to watch

Interest in the Stanford football team is high, even with more than a month to go before the 2013 season kicks off.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan is the latest player to be named to a preseason watch list as he was named to the Davey O'Brien Award list on Wednesday. Hogan is one of 34 players on the list with the award given to the best quarterback in the nation.

Hogan, the Pac-12 Championship Game MVP, started and won the last five games of 2012-13 for Stanford. He won four straight games against as many ranked opponents to end regular season as well as defeating Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl Game.

Despite his limited play, Hogan was Stanford's second-leading rusher (263 yards) while quickly establishing himself as an accurate passer, completing nearly 72 percent of his attempts with nine touchdown passes against just three interceptions.

Four other Stanford players — Ben Gardner, Trent Murphy, Shayne Skov and David Yankey — also have earned mentions on two watch lists, the Butkus Award and the Rotary Lombardi Award, released this week.

Murphy and Skov headlined the day with the duo earning mention on both watch lists. Gardner and Yankey earned spots on the Lombardi Award watch list.

Instituted in 1985, the Butkus Award recognizes the nation's most outstanding linebacker. An independent Butkus Award Selection Committee will conduct the selection process.

The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman — offense or defense — who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.

The watch lists mentions are the latest in a slew of preseason recognitions for a talent-laden Stanford team.

Gardner, Murphy and Skov have all previously been named to the Bednarik Award watch list, presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list, presented to the best defensive player in college football.

Yankey has been previously named to The Maxwell Award Watch List, given to America's College Player of the Year, as well as the Outland Trophy, presented to the nation's top interior lineman.

Men's basketball

Stanford senior Dwight Powell scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Canada, but it wasn't enough as Serbia won the bronze medal at the World University Games on Tuesday.

Women's basketball

Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer, who turned 60 last month, received a belated birthday present this week by signing a long-term contract extension with the school.

VanDerveer, just six wins shy of becoming the fifth women's basketball coach to reach the 900-win mark, had two years remaining on her old contract — through the 2014-15 season.

Since her arrival at Stanford in 1985, VanDerveer has accumulated a record of 742-152 (.830) while her career record stands at 894-203 (.815) through 34 years of coaching. While on The Farm she has led the Cardinal to 21 Pac-10/Pac-12 titles and 10 conference tournament crowns while capturing Pac-10/Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors 13 times.

Men's golf

Stanford's Patrick Rodgers is one of five players named to 2013 USA Walker Cup Team in an announcement by the United States Golf Association.

The 44th Walker Cup Match against Great Britain and Ireland will be played Sept. 7-8 at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y., which is hosting the Match for the first time since it hosted the inaugural Walker Cup in 1922. There will be a total of 10 players named to the team.

Rodgers is a returning USA Walker Cup Team member, having competed at the 2011 Match at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland. He wrapped up his 2013 sophomore season at Stanford with three intercollegiate victories and six top-10 finishes, leading the Cardinal with a 70.88 stroke average. For the second consecutive year, he was named first-team All-America, first-team All-Pac-12, and was also a Palmer Cup selection. He was also named to the All-Nicklaus Team this year.

Gymnastics

Four Stanford men qualified to the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships after securing bids at the 2013 Men's National Qualifier at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this past weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo.

From outstanding, gold-medal performances on the men's side, to setting a world-best time in the women's eight, the 2013 World Rowing Cup No. 3 was a memorable one for the eight United States crews that won medals this past weekend in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Stanford grad Elle Logan won her fourth world cup medal of the 2013 series on Sunday in the women's single after finishing second.

Stanford senior Austin Hack helped the men's eight win a gold medal and, in the women's eight, Stanford grad Grace Luczak took home a gold medal as the boat set a world-best time of 5:54.16.